Gaza death toll rises after seven Palestinians killed in 24 hours

What Happened

The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry reported on Thursday that Gaza's cumulative death toll reached 74,229, after seven Palestinians were killed and 20 wounded in Israeli attacks over the preceding 24 hours. The ministry said the 24-hour figure included two people who died from injuries sustained in earlier attacks and one person whose body was retrieved from rubble. It also said that since the 'so-called ceasefire' took effect in October 2024, 1,445 Palestinians have been killed, 5,052 wounded, and 835 bodies recovered from beneath rubble. The same day, thousands attended a mass funeral for more than 100 bodies retrieved from a residential tower destroyed by Israeli strikes at the start of the war in October 2023.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The update from the Gaza health ministry highlights the continued accumulation of casualties and the delayed recovery of bodies even after a ceasefire framework, underscoring the scale of destruction and the obstacles to casualty verification and reconstruction. The ministry's characterization of the October 2024 agreement as a 'so-called ceasefire' signals contested compliance, which may affect ceasefire negotiations and international legal proceedings.

Watch For

Monitor whether the Israeli military or Israeli government responds to the Hamas-run health ministry's latest casualty claims, and whether independent bodies such as UN OCHA issue updated figures. Watch for further body recovery operations at the destroyed residential tower site and any new ceasefire implementation announcements from mediators in Cairo or Doha, as the ministry's reference to a 'so-called ceasefire' suggests disputes over the agreement's status.